Monday, April 02, 2007

Predator's Gold

Just finished this one and really enjoyed it, more in fact, than Mortal Engines. It is the second in the Hungry City Chronicles and follows Tom and Hester just over two years after the end of Mortal Engines. This novel does not spend as much time on the history, the Sixty Minute War etc, rather it focuses more on the relationship of Tom and Hester.

They escape from the Green Storm (an offshoot of the Anti-Traction League), in the Jenny Hanniver which used to belong to Anna Fang, and end up on Anchorage which is a large but sparsely populated city. The city is ruled by Freya Rasmussen, a margravane (a sort of prophet or oracle, although the word originally comes from a German title), who is in charge of the city but not sure what to do until Tom and Hester arrive with Professor Pennyroyal. They set off for the Dead Continent - USA, which according to Professor Pennyroyal who has been there, is a veritable paradise.

Less "action packed" than Mortal Engines, I thought that this novel was better and explored Tom and Hester's feelings much better as they have now grown up.

2 comments:

nessie said...

I always respect well written YA novels for the fact that they are able to recall what it is like to be that age. Harry Potter with each book has grown more mature in language and theme. Yet every volume accurately portrays the sentiments of a younger person

lifelongreader said...

Agreed, Nessie - I think that well written YA novels are a great way of getting messages to teenagers.

I prefer books like this (or To Kill a Mockingbird) which do not talk down to the reader.